A Lifeline for Mothers: Nutrition Support Strengthens Families in Drought-Affected areas in Ethiopia

When lack of rain dried up the pond that sustained Hasho’s vegetable garden in southern Ethiopia, feeding her family became a daily struggle. Pregnant with her second child and worried about her young son’s nutrition, she found a lifeline through WFP nutrition support funded by the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund, helping her protect her family’s health while rebuilding hope for the future.

For Hasho, an expectant mother in Moyale Woreda, Ethiopia's Oromia Region, every day begins with the hope of providing enough for her family.

Her household relies on two cows and a camel, whose milk she sells at the local market. The modest income helps her purchase staple foods such as maize and beans.  In better years, she also grew various vegetables such as Kale using water from a nearby pond, which provided both food and income.

When the ponds dried up, her vegetable garden disappeared.

“The interruption of kale cultivation affected us greatly,” Hasho recalls. “The kale supported my family, and the income allowed me to purchase many essential items.”

Pregnant with her second child, Hasho struggled to feed her family and worried about her son's nutrition.

Without her garden, feeding the family became increasingly difficult. As food supplies dwindled and prices remained high, Hasho worried not only about her own health during pregnancy but also about the wellbeing of her young son.

“When a child receives enough food, they remain healthy,” she says. “But when a child does not get enough food, they may lose weight and become vulnerable.”

A Lifeline During Crisis

Hasho’s experience reflects the reality facing many families across parts of Ethiopia, where prolonged dry conditions continue to erode livelihoods and increase the risk of malnutrition among women and children.

At a time when her family needed support most, WFP’s lifesaving nutrition assistance funded through the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF) reached her community through emergency nutrition services provided at a local health facility.

Every two weeks, Hasho received (CSB++), iron-folic acid tablets, and nutrition counselling. Health workers provided guidance on how to prepare nutritious meals, safely store food, maintain good hygiene, and improve her family's diet using locally available foods.

The support quickly made a difference.

“Since I started using fortified cereal,  I have been feeling much healthier,” Hasho says. “I also learned how to prepare it properly and improve my family's nutrition.”